This is as reckless as it was unnecessary. Democrats had presented a compromise plan that would have permitted surveillance to proceed, but with court review and an audit by the Justice Department's inspector general, to be provided to Congress, about how many Americans had been surveilled. Democrats could have stuck to their guns and insisted on their version. Instead, nervous about being blamed for any terrorist attack and eager to get out of town, they accepted the unacceptable. Most Democrats opposed the measure, but enough (16 in the Senate, 41 in the House) went with Republicans to allow it to pass, and the leadership enabled that result.
Four of those 41 included Texas Democrats Nick Lampson, Chet Edwards, Henry Cuellar, and Ciro Rodriguez, Blue Dogs all.
Bad dog. No bone for you. Get in your crate. (And you oughta get a whippin' ...)
